Page 166 - The Religion Of The Ignorant

THE RELIGION OF THE IGNORANT

according to what we learn from the Qur'an, a great many members
of false religions say that they believe in and obey Allah. Yet theirs is
an insincere claim and has nothing to do with the truth. The lives
they lead and the ethical concepts they adopt are totally incompati-
ble with that claim. An example is given in the Qur'an of such claims
made by adherents of false religions:
Indeed is the sincere religion not Allah's alone? People
who take protectors besides Him [say], "We only worship
them so that they may bring us nearer to Allah." Allah will
judge between them regarding the things about which they
differed. Allah does not guide anyone who is an ungrateful
liar. (Surat az-Zumar, 3)
It is revealed in other verses that when asked, members of false
religions state that they believe in the existence and might of Allah.
But they are unable to fully comprehend this truth, which they ac-
cept solely with their tongues, and do not actually fear Him:
Say: "Who provides for you out of heaven and Earth? Who
controls hearing and sight? Who brings forth the living
from the dead and the dead from the living? Who directs
the whole affair?" They will say, "Allah." Say, "So will you
not guard against evil?" That is Allah, your Lord, the Truth,
and what is there after truth except misguidance? So how
have you been distracted? In that way the Word of your
Lord is realized against those who are deviators, in that
they do not believe. (Surah Yunus, 31-33)
If you ask them, "Who created the heavens and the Earth
and made the sun and moon subservient?" they will say,
"Allah." So how have they been perverted? (Surat al-
'Ankabut, 61)
One therefore needs to be careful when identifying false reli-

164